Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'blight'

English Word: blight

Key Russian Translations:

• увядание [u.vʲaˈda.nʲi.jə] - [Formal, used in botanical or agricultural contexts]
• поражение [pɐ.rəˈʐɛ.nʲi.jə] - [Informal, broader for any destructive damage]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in agricultural discussions but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian noun inflections and contextual vocabulary)

Pronunciation (Russian):

увядание: [u.vʲaˈda.nʲi.jə]

поражение: [pɐ.rəˈʐɛ.nʲi.jə]

Note on увядание: The stress falls on the third syllable; be mindful of the soft sign (ʲ) which softens the preceding consonant, a common challenge for English speakers.

Note on поражение: Pronounce the 'ж' as a voiced fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A plant disease causing decay, withering, or destruction (e.g., in agriculture).

Translation(s) & Context:

• увядание - Used in formal scientific or farming contexts to describe wilting or blight on plants.
• поражение - Applied in informal settings for general plant damage or blight, often in everyday discussions about crops.

Usage Examples:

• В прошлом году увядание картофеля уничтожило весь урожай на ферме.

  Last year, potato blight destroyed the entire harvest on the farm.

• Из-за сильного поражения листьев деревья в саду начали высыхать.

  Due to severe blight on the leaves, the trees in the garden began to dry out.

• Сельские фермеры часто борются с увяданием урожая из-за плохой погоды.

  Rural farmers often struggle with crop blight due to poor weather conditions.

• Это поражение фруктовых деревьев может быть вызвано грибком, известным как фитофтороз.

  This blight on fruit trees can be caused by a fungus known as phytophthora.

• Увядание цветов в оранжерее произошло из-за недостатка вентиляции.

  The blight of flowers in the greenhouse occurred due to lack of ventilation.

Meaning 2: Figurative use, referring to something that spoils or ruins (e.g., social or economic blight).

Translation(s) & Context:

• поражение - Used metaphorically in informal contexts for societal or urban decay.

Usage Examples:

• Экономическое поражение региона привело к массовой миграции населения.

  Economic blight in the region led to mass population migration.

• Городское поражение от коррупции сделало этот район непривлекательным для инвесторов.

  Urban blight caused by corruption has made this area unattractive to investors.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"увядание" is a neuter noun (средний род) that follows the standard pattern for nouns ending in -ие. It is inflected based on case and number. "поражение" is also a neuter noun with similar inflection patterns.

These nouns do not have irregular inflections, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: мор (plague, more dramatic connotation), разрушение (destruction, for broader damage)
• Antonyms: рост (growth, indicating health and development), процветание (prosperity, especially in figurative contexts)

Note: "мор" often implies a more severe, epidemic-like blight, while "увядание" is milder and plant-specific.

Related Phrases:

• увядание растений - Withering of plants; commonly used in gardening or agricultural reports.
• поражение урожая - Damage to the harvest; refers to crop failures due to blight or pests.
• борьба с увяданием - Fight against blight; implies efforts to combat plant diseases.

Usage Notes:

"Blight" translates most accurately to "увядание" in plant-related contexts, where it aligns with Russian agricultural terminology. Use "поражение" for more general or metaphorical applications. Be aware of the formal/informal divide: "увядание" is preferred in scientific writing, while "поражение" suits casual conversation. Grammatically, always inflect these nouns according to the case required by the sentence structure, as Russian relies heavily on case endings for meaning.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "увядание" without proper inflection, e.g., saying "в увядание" instead of "в увядании" (prepositional case). Correct: "в увядании" – This mistake confuses the case system, which is crucial in Russian.

• Error: Confusing "увядание" with "увядание" as a verb form; it's a noun, not to be conjugated like "увядать" (to wither). Correct usage: Pair it with verbs like "вызвать" (to cause) – e.g., "увядание вызвано грибком" instead of incorrectly treating it as a verb.

• Error: Overusing "поражение" in literal plant contexts, where "увядание" is more precise. Correct: In botanical discussions, opt for "увядание" to avoid sounding overly dramatic.

Cultural Notes:

In Russia, terms like "увядание" are deeply tied to agricultural history, especially in regions like the Black Earth belt where potato blight has historically affected harvests. This reflects broader cultural themes of resilience against environmental challenges, as seen in literature like Tolstoy's works, where natural blights symbolize societal decay.

Related Concepts:

• фитофтороз (phytophthora, a specific type of blight)
• сажка (blight on potatoes)
• гниение (rotting, related to plant decay)